Texas Rangers Move Back To 105.3 The Fan

CBS Radio and the Texas Rangers have agreed on a multi-year deal to bring the play-by-play rights to Sports “105.3 The Fan” KRLD-FM Dallas beginning in 2015.

KRLD-FM previously aired weekday games in 2009 and 2010, while sister News/Talk 1080 KRLD was the team’s flagship from 1995 until 2010. Since 2011 the games had been heard on “ESPN Dallas 103.3” KESN-FM Allen. Hall-of-Famer Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks will remain as play-by-play voices for the broadcasts.

KRLD-FM is also the flagship for Dallas Cowboys football. Any overlapping broadcasts will see the Rangers air on 1080 KRLD.

CBS RADIO and the Texas Rangers today announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement for the team’s radio play-by-play broadcasts to air exclusively on Dallas-Fort Worth’s 105.3 The FAN beginning with the 2015 season.

The agreement includes coverage of regular and post-season games broadcast on 105.3 The FAN (KRLD-FM) as well as select spring training games. The all-sports station will also complement its play-by-play coverage with live pre- and post-game shows, and Rangers-themed daily programming featuring interviews with players, coaches and front office personnel.

“We are very pleased to enter into this long term radio agreement with 105.3 The Fan,” commented Rangers Executive Vice President for Communications John Blake. “The Rangers enjoyed a great relationship with KRLD and CBS RADIO from 1995-2010, and we look forward to a very productive partnership in the future.”

“We couldn’t be more excited that the Texas Rangers are coming home to 105.3 The FAN,” said Brian Purdy, Senior Vice President and Market Manager for CBS RADIO DFW. “The Rangers games and related programming will be a great addition to our powerful lineup of play-by-play broadcasts and local sports talk shows on The FAN. And it’s a partnership that includes all six of CBS RADIO’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations as we feature the team across our entire portfolio of over-the-air and digital assets.”

The Rangers’ radio broadcast rights return to CBS RADIO for the first time since 2010. From 1995-2008 all games were carried on NewsRadio 1080 (KRLD-AM). Following the launch of 105.3 The Fan in the fall of 2008, Rangers weekday games in 2009-10 were carried on 105.3 The Fan with weekend broadcasts remaining on NewsRadio 1080. That marked the first time that Rangers games had ever been broadcast in FM. Under the new agreement, NewsRadio 1080 will carry any games that conflict with previously scheduled programming on 105.3 The Fan.

In addition, the Rangers Radio Network will provide Rangers baseball coverage to a number of stations throughout Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The Rangers will continue to oversee all radio production and network elements of the broadcasts. Eric Nadel, the 2014 Ford C. Frick Award recipient, will begin his 37th season of broadcasting Texas Rangers baseball this spring. He will join Matt Hicks, returning for his third full year, to call all games on 105.3 The FAN and the Rangers English radio network.

105.3 The FAN and NewsRadio 1080 KRLD are owned by CBS RADIO, a division of CBS. Nationwide, CBS RADIO stations are home to nearly 30 professional sports teams across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, including the Dallas Cowboys broadcast on KRLD-FM. CBS RADIO also owns 98.7 KLUV, 100.3 Jack FM, 103.7 KVIL, 107.5 La GRANDE and the Texas State Networks in Dallas-Fort Worth.

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Lance Venta is the Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com and a consultant for RadioBB Networks specializing in integration of radio and the internet. Lance has two decades of experience tracking the audio industry and its use of digital platforms.